I'm in the Zone today
Well actually I'm in West Wales. I'm not even sure where "the Zone" is but the title today is a quote from Monsters Inc which I watched last night (and enjoyed very much).
I've been rubbish at updating this blog recently, but hey it's August. Everyone's away and not much goes on anyway.
Earlier in the week I went househunting in Bath which was an experience. I saw a couple of houses and met some good people, but so far I've not got a definite place of residence for next year (though it's not without hope). Being new to Bath I don't yet know anybody, so it's all about meeting the people I might be living with as well. Placing an ad on the university forum and receiving various responses is worryingly reminiscent of how I imagine internet dating might work. The whole experience just lacks candlelit dinners though.
Whilst I was in Bath I also saw the most pregnant looking man I have ever seen and passed another guy whose response to my cheery "good morning" sounded as though his words were coming out backwards.
Though I am seeking a place to rent, I have it on good authority that letting a house can also be a minefield. It seems as though that a cardboard box is too good for some tenants (who ironically feel that reading and adhering to instructions is beneath them). If I had anything to do with it both tenant and letting agent would be strung painfully from the wrongly sited washing line.
Church at home (www.stmarysbillingshurst.org) is very exciting, and a new service pattern begins next Sunday. Less can be said about the church I went to this morning. The visiting vicar was possibly nuts, rambling on and on about China ("mother China") and not really saying anything worthwhile. He quoted a letter from the retiring principal of Westcott House Theological College about a generation of clergy 'who'd presided over a declining church' and I have to say he was the perfect illustration as to why the church had declined under his generation. I have a copy of Discworld Noir, a computer game based on Terry Prattchett's Discworld series which I used to enjoy playing and the vicar this morning bore uncanny resemblance to the priest portrayed in the Temple of Small Gods. That thought did at least provide me with some amusement.
Looking back to my God Slot post and the comments it generated I feel that if Dave's local church has missed the plot in a similar manner it's no wonder that the idea of God is a bit strange.
I do feel though, Dave, that in your last comment that you struggled to deny the existence of God completely, albeit that your "He's given me a wicked life" evidently contained some sarcasm. Still, if you wish to deny the existence of God and are content with believing that you are just part of a random chemical "accident" with no purpose then that's your choice. I cannot prove the existence of God but I look in awe at the natural world around me and definitely feel that there is an element of design and created order.
I wonder, Dave (and anyone else reading this who has similar viewpoints) if you've ever considered praying. It's a bit odd to harp on about how God has no time for you if you have no time for Him. And as I have related here before, I have experienced answers to prayer in my life, often in the most amazing ways. So, prayer. Now there's a challenge for you...
I've come across several classic quotes this week but I am going to end this ramble with one I've just come across in a local newspaper.
"Neil also loves cooking and growing organic vegetables - chickens and pigs may soon be seen in [his garden]."
Comments
The great problem with the God fearing 'chemical accident' argument is that a chemical accident is (within our current knowledge) just as if not far more likely than something we cannot describe or begin to imagine the form of desiging a world and universe where it is impossible to get answers. Additionally if we analyse the surface of the monotheist religions and correlate that with current scientific knowledge, is it not far more likely that our world was created by a race far more advanced than our own who thought they'd have a little science experiment and occasionally create chaos and disasters (think magnifying glass and ant hill). My point being, I don't believe that to be true either but if we weigh them up, the alien race is far more likely.
I shall end by supplying your argument for you, a matter of faith. Atheists and agnostics are not heartless, faithless bastards. We love life and generally speaking love the world we live in, just because we don't believe it was made by a higher being doesn't mean we can't enjoy it as much. And please don't disturb us as we live our life, we only have one chance, you guys get to go to heaven and we merely burn in hell for eternity.
Chris here, writing from Malaysia. If you want to know where "the zone" is, it's definitely out here!
Shame to hear that your friend Dave didn't bother trying to pray. Hopefully he'll try looking into the evidence for the resurrection before writing off Christianity. I think he needs some hard facts to base his worldview on; he must be quite gullible or desperate to suggest alien activity, when current scientific knowledge of the size of the universe makes any contat with Aliens highly improbable at all.
I hope you enjoyed West wales! did you go to tenby, and visit the theme park?
Chris
what exactly is a 'hard fact'?
i wouldnt say there were any hard facts of evidence for resurrection (but im not an expert). clearly the new testament says there was a resurrection and thats fine if that all you need to believe. obviously Jewish people today dont find that hard enough evidence. nor did some of the Jews at the time.
i wouldnt say personal revelation - eg i prayed to god and now i know he exists - is much of a hard fact either.
My dad was born in Bath.
Yep, it's a standard one of mine, but needed to be said.
As per usual I am going to start from the top and work down.
Dave - once again I have a lot to say to you.
"...and yes I know God isn't real"
Do you? Really? Prove it, and help me to see the error of my misguided ways. If you're sitting on such a golden piece of information you really would be selfish not to share it.
"The great problem with the God fearing 'chemical accident' argument is that a chemical accident is (within our current knowledge) just as if not far more likely than something we cannot describe..."
Firstly, I'd love to know what you're basing this on; you seem very confident in your argument. Secondly, the 'chemical accident' theory is not borne out of God-fearing (not in my case, anyway). It's just that we must have wound up here somehow and either there is someone behind it (ie God) or there isn't (ie it was an 'accident', for want of better terminology). My choice to believe in God is not because I am terrified of what might not happen if I don't.
"Atheists and agnostics are not heartless, faithless bastards."
I know, and I never said otherwise. Apologies if reading my blog gave you that impression. Of course, unless you do know that there is no God then atheism is as much a faith as Christianity.
"And please don't disturb us as we live our life, we only have one chance, you guys get to go to heaven and we merely burn in hell for eternity."
Maybe as Christians we need to be more tactful in the way we 'disturb your life' but I'm afraid that you'll never persuade me to keep my faith to myself. I've oft quoted CS Lewis ("Christianity is either of infinite importance or of no importance at all") and I believe that it is so important - for everybody - that to keep my faith to myself would be selfish and dare I say it not logical.
Now, Christianity is not a 'Get out of hell free' card; much more than that it's a whole faith, way of life and (importantly) a relationship with God. However I would consider Jesus' words carefully when he says "no-one comes to the Father except through me" otherwise you may find out the hard way that your last sentence was less sarcastic than you intended it to be.
And finally, hello Ross.
"i wouldnt say there were any hard facts of evidence for resurrection (but im not an expert). clearly the new testament says there was a resurrection and thats fine if that all you need to believe. obviously Jewish people today dont find that hard enough evidence. nor did some of the Jews at the time.
i wouldnt say personal revelation - eg i prayed to god and now i know he exists - is much of a hard fact either."
As ever you speak wise words here. All I will say is that you should consider how much of what you accept concretely is genuinely 'hard fact'. For example, there is no more evidence for Julius Caesar and parts of his life than there is for Jesus and his resurrection. And yet somehow no-one ever questions the former.
There is evidence to support the argument that God isn't real, however there is no evidence to say God is real other than you or Jesus saying so and just because he was the son of God does not make his word any greater than yours.
As for God-fearing, you're an intelligent guy, you must understand that I don't think you are afraid of God, but many before you were, more importantly afraid of the Church and so you and many others follow in their beliefs just as I follow in some political or physical beliefs of philosophers and scientists.
I'd prefer my faith to be described as a state of being as I believe faith constricts us, I am free.
And once again, you mistake my words for sarcasm. When I die I will be locked for eternity in darkness, fortunately I won't be concious. But still, locked in darkness for eternity is pretty hellish sounding. I do enjoy life so not having a life would be hell.
You quote CS Lewis, who may have been clever, but is relatively uneducated compared to you or I. You must understand that the expanse of the world and the universe and the volume of faiths, in both number and sound can only serve to create more doubt in the mind of the non-believer. But still I do listen (I read your blog don't I?), and I've still not heard one convincing argument from any religion or faith. I understand you're doing your Christian duty to try and re-educate both me and others, but allow me to do my atheist duty of telling you it is rubbish. :)